Reclosable containers



March l5, 1960 P. J. GRAYBILL 2,928,581

REcLosABLE CONTAINERS Filed June 6, 1956 MINI INVENT ,United States Patent O RECLOSABLE CONTAINERS Paul J. Graybill, New Haven, Conn.

Application June 6, 1956, Serial No. 589,607

1 Claim. (Cl. 229-39) The present invention relates to a tuck-top container having a tuck-slot, with baiiie and lock, and a dispensin orifice. Y

Broad objective The broad objective of my invention is to provide a one-piece tuck-top container, formed of foldable stock, having a full-end closure-means articulated to the four container Walls at one end thereof, said means consisting of a movable spout-like end-closure, articulated to three sides of said container-end and a tuck-slot articulated land adhered to the fourth side thereof, said means in one position to close, seal, and lock said container in a vermin and weatherproof condition and in other positions to form a dipping tray, or a side pour spout, or a limited dispensing orifice, or a full-end dispensing spout. This structure providing a container of unusual closure properties, one that is easily opened and as easily reclosed and locked, without interfering with the enclosed product.

This structure being especially advantageous and desirable, the dispensing orifice may be used for limited d'spensing of pills and the like, or a side-panel may be folded outwardly to form a dispensing spout, for granular or powdered material, or when the container is laid .flat on its back the dispensing means forms a dipping tray,

for powder or mixes to prevent spillage, or the closure means may be used as a complete-end spout for the total dispensing of such products as macaroni etc.; also the 'complete-end opening allows the access of a spoon, scoop or the hand.

This container thus in various sizes and arrangements is unusually Well adapted for ice cream, mixes, our, powders, starch, sticks, chips, flakes, doughnuts, cracks, kernels, seeds, candies, cigars, cigarettes, pills, bottles, solid full sized objects or any product where a reclosable complete end-opening is desirable to allow measuring or complete dispensing. Said container being thus an economical one-piece container, the features of which are integrally and automatically formed from said container stock in its normal manufacturing procedure on existing machines, with but little additional stock and only minor changes in machine procedures.

Specjc objectives adjacent sides of the container end opening, leaving the fourth side of the container for the tuck-slot and tuck- 'baie, which accommodates the tuck-tab (which is articulated to the free edge of said end-panel), when the con- .tainer is in a closed position, said tuck-slot being formed ice from the extension panel of the front container wall being so cut and creased as to be folded in Z fashion and disposed downwardly and partially adhered to the inside of said front container wall, thus forming said tuck-slot and baffle.

(2) Also to provide such a container having locking means to insure complete closure retention, said means to allow repeated opening and closing of said container and consisting of side-notches on the tuck-tab which engage the offset edges of the inner reverse-fold panel which hingedly joins the terminal end of the fourth wall panel of said container, and is adhered thereto and joined also by a reverse-fold tuck-baffle, part of the area of which is also adhered to the fourth wall-panel thus forming the tuck-slot, into which said tuck-tab is positioned and locked to insure said closure retention.

(3) Also to provide such a container having a thumb notch in said front panel and said reverse-fold panelV to` opening process, when said tuck-tab is positioned in said tuck-slot.

(4) Also to provide such a container, havingon its tuck tab a protrusion tab to engage the portion of the tuck-baffle which is exposed by the thumb notch to facilitate closing by guiding the tuck-tab into the tuck-slot.

(5) And also when desired to provide a container having an orifice on the tuck-tab, which, when said container is partially open, affords a ready means of dispensing pills, tablets, granular material and the like, said tuck-tab to be somewhat elongated and to be traversed by a crease to facilitate the tuck.

(6) And also to provide such a container in which said tuck-tab may be adhered to the outside of said fourth container wall on the first closure, to be torn free on the rst opening and used as a tuck thereafter, being especially well adapted for ice cream and the like.

Designation of illustrations These and other objectives and advantages will become apparent as the following detailed description proceeds, when referrence is made to the accompanying drawings: wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown the principle embodiment of my invention.

Fig. l is a view of a portion of the inside surface of the blank which forms the top Vclosure-end of the container showing the tuck-top with the bellows, side-panels, the lock notches, and the tuck-baiiie with the inner reverse-fold panel connecting said tuck-baffle tothe terminal edge of the free container wall, and in dotted lines the possible location of the orilice and folding crease when they are desired,

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the container formed from the blank shown in Fig. l in a partially `opened condition showing in dotted lines an alternate position for one of the bellows, which position forms a pouring spout,

Fig. 3 is likewise a perspective view showing the container in a closed position,

Fig. 4 is a cross sectional view of a portion of Fig. 2 showing especially well, the open tuck-slot and the tuckbatiie with the reverse-fold p-anel. n

Fig. 5 is a cross sectional view of a portion of Fig. ,3 as indicated, showing the locking means, the lock-notch on the end-edge of the tuck-tab and the outwardly springing of the offset edge of the reverse-fold panel which slightly engages said notch, Y

Fig. 6 is also a cross sectional view of Fig. 3 as-indicated, showing the tuck-tab positioned between the re Patienten;Y Mag. 15, 196e asaaasi Vsimilar' parts are indicated by the same number forjease in identification, Figs. l to 6 show the basic embodiment of my invention, Fig. 1 is a view of a portion of the 'insidensurface of the blank,tshows container walls 1B, 2B, 3B and 4B and side glue-lap 5B which are articulated to each other in the usual wayto form a four walled container. Fig. l also shows the end closure which isrcomprised of bellows side-panels 1 and 3 with diagonal creases D which are articulated to body panelsV 1B and 3B respectively at crease 10 as well as to top panel 2 at their respective adjacentv edges, at creases 15top-panel 2 being also articulated to its body panel 2B at crease `10 and its tuck-tab 2T at crease `13, which tuck-tab has on its opposing narrow edges Vlock-notches Gand on its free edge protrusion-tab 7, also shown in dots is the optional prifice 18 for limited small objectdispensing, as well also is shown in dotsthe transverse crease i9, which may be used to facilitate `tucking Vif said tuck-tab iselongated for the use of an oriiice. And also shown is expansion panel `21 from which is formed reverse-fold panel 4 and tuck e 'baflie` 4T. Reverse-fold panel 4 is articulated to the container wall 4B along one of its entire edges at crease 10 Vand articulated likewise partially to tuck-baffle 4T atV crease 11, it being however partially cut freetherefrom by cuts 8 and 9. `Likewise yis shown bellows side-panel notches 14 on-the terminal edge of `tuck-baille 4T. Also thumb notch 12 Vis shown equally positioned on reverse fold panel 4 and" body'panel 4B. Shaded portion 22 indicates the area where adhesivejis applied informing'the Y tuck-slot. e

Container 20 of Figs. 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 is Vformed after the blank of Fig.` 1 is cut and creased in the usual way by running said blank through a right angle gluing machine, which applies adhesive to area 22 and yfolds and glues reverse-panel 4 and tuck-baflie 4T to said adhesive area 22 on wall-panel 4B. This isaccomplished by first-` kicking tuck-baiiie 4T and reverse-panel 4 upward to fold at crease 10; consequentlyasthe folding process of reverse-fold panel 4 continues, the outer end of tuckbafe 4T is 4restrained thus causinga'fold at crease 11, also thus forming a Z-type fold at crease 10 and crease A11 `which when continued rotates panel 4 to come in contact with wall panel 4B and consequently the'revers'e side of tuck-baie 4T iinally to contact panel 4B on part of its area andthe reverse side of reverse-fold panel 4 on the remainder of its area, in which position both reversefold Ypanel 4 and vtuck-bame 4T are adhered on at least part o f their areas to Ywall-panel 4B forming the tuck-slot 16, which is completely free from adhesive by virtue of Y 4 One closing procedure for said top-closure end would 'be as follows: rst glue would be spotted ontuck-tabl,

thence bellows panels 1 and would be kicked partially inwardly, folding on creases D, 10 and 15 ineach, instance, which action would automatically start top-panel 2 on its rotation about crease 10 toward its closureposition. As this rotation is continued bellows side-panels 1 Y and 3 would be forced inwardly to their flatly folded position, when their terminal ends'would contact notches 14 in tuck-baffle 4T, also asvthis fold` is in process tucktab 2T should be folded inwardly at a greater rate, until it contacts the forward edges of bellows like sidefpanels 1 and 3, which double folding faction when continued would bring thumb protrusion tab 7 on tuck-tab 2T into` exact position to be inserted intoJtuck-slot 16, which actionwhen completedwould effect the closure and seal of said 'containen Tuck-tab 2T would be fully inserted into tuck-slot `16 between reverse-fold panel 4 and tuckbatiie 4T and spot adhered to thumb notch 12. 'Thefree edges of bellows side-panels 1 and 3 would rest 4on tuckbaiiie 4T occupying bellows-notches 14 and would ber in` a completelyV collapsed condition. Lock-notches 6 would have slipped beyond the offset edge `of reverse-fold panel 4-at cut 9 and there be partiallyengaged `below said offset edge tof slightly resist the withdrawing again of tuck-,tab

A2T from tuck-slot 16, Vwhich would be necessary itithe opening process after thumb index 12 had been torn clear and pressure applied to open said closure. This locking action is assured by virtue of the natural flex `of the stock whichcauses the offset edge of reverse-fold panel 4 at cut 9 to standout at an angle from the front body wall 4B by virtue of the adhesive Vfree area 17, and thus pro.- 4trude into the lock-notch 6 on tuck-tab 2T, to resist re.-

opening. t

' A second method of closure .would `followthesarneA general pattern of enfoldment except the tucktab 2T would be rotated about and adhered to `the outside .o f the `container wall 4B which had been previously spotted -With adhesive, said tuck-tabV to` be torn free on `the initial closure effected, it is ready for an over-wrap (ifxonelis used) and if one is not used, for packaging and shipment. In thetlatter case it should be noted that thereis virtually ya perfect closure; three sides of the end-closure havent) opening whatsoever but have continuous stock `at creases 10 and 15, and the fourth side has'the rtuck-tab eitherradhered .to the outside `of the container wall, .vor tucked, glued and locked into the` tuck-slot, in eithercase effecting thereon a complete sift and leak-proofclosure.

tuck-baiiie 4T and reverse-panel 4 coming together Y,face

to face, and forming part-of theV area of tuck-slot 16, Vwith areas ,17, where no glue is applied, covering the lremainz der of the area of tuck-slot 16. At this point, the blank proceeds yat right angles in the gluer and the usual rgluing process folds and glues glue-lap SBeto container n wall 1B. Thus when the blank is opened it forms a tubular container with two sets of opposingwall panels parallel lto each other and'perpendicular tothe other pair.

i Hence the end-closure members 1, 2, 3 and `4- with their respective variations and the regular glue-flaps on the opposite end of the container (not shown) would also each be of two pairs, these parallel to each otherand perpendicular to the other two before vbeing folded in to -form either the-bottom or top closure.

`V`When -the -folded and glued blank of container 20 is presentedto the packaging machine the bottoniend c losure (no t shown is effected ,in-theusualway. Thetprods ust iis ,theninserted .and thetgrclosurenally Itfect'eflf -be replaced in the container. .as shownrin Fig. 2 that by flexing bellows panel 1 outlWhen container 20 is reopened, and ready to dispense the contenta, it will be noted that the complete end is open which would admit the hand, a scoop, aspoo n -or allow that the complete contents could be dispensed at once, or that any excess amounts of Vthe `product could Also it should be noted wardly :to position S a very efficient pouring spout `is readily formed, and further if the optional orifice -18 lis used, a dispensing means, forV limited dispensing, if

Y formed by only partially opening said closure-means, by `thus withdrawing the tuck-tab suiciently to vexpose the orifice, from which pills and the like may be dispensed,

rand finally also when the container is laid on its back the` closure-means, the end-panel, side-panels, and tucktab form a tray to confine said contents as it is;spooned, or scooped from said container.

'i `Summary The-,need for a container with this full yend opening ywhich is-easily lopened and readily andsecurely lreclosel Vand there'locked without interfering with the enclosed contents, is exceedinglyurgent.' `Thisisrparticularlyrtrlit! since packaging and i container stock is being produced of such high quality that inner and outer wraps are becoming more and more unnecessary if a suitable sift-proof reclosable container is employed. At present there is no adequate reclosure on a container made of foldable material which allows this complete access, for scooping, measuring or complete dispensing, or returning any excess amounts of the product. Also no reclosures at present reseal sufficiently tight to protect contents from dust, moisture, vermin and the like. In addition no structure affords complete access, and offers an eilicient pouring spout, for granular materials or the like or likewise also a tray to prevent spillage or accidental displacement of contents when scooping and measuring such contents as our and mixes. None also have an orifice in the tuck-flap which may be used for limited dispensing, when the tuck-tab is only partially withdrawn.

A considerable number of reasonably new products or new packaging of products have recently vcome'to the fore such as potato chips, cheese sticks, stick pretzels, candies, cracks, ice cream, eatable kernels and seeds, vitamin pills, cakes and doughnuts, which products especially need such a new structure that can be readily opened and adequately reclosed. The dispensing of small amounts of such things as pills etc. without completely opening the package, but assuring complete protection until all contents are consumed is especially apropo.

The features of my container outlined herewith used in toto or in various combinations solve this urgent problem to a marked degree.

And these features, namely a tuck-tab that can also be adhered outside, on a tuck-top container with bellowsV side-panels which can form a pouring spout when pulled outwardly, together with a tuck-slot and tuck-bathe with locking means and a protrusion-tab and thumb-notch with an orifice in said tucktab for limited dispensing if desired, these used in toto or in various combinations are new, and constitute a decided advance in the art of container design, and some or all Vare applicable to the principle embodiment of my invention herewith set forth. It is understood that this embodiment is only an example and various changes in the shape, siz, or arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of my invention or the scope of the sub-joined claim. 1

I claim:

A container made of foldable stock, having a dispensing end with a quadrangular discharge opening,l said opening so dimensoned as to occupy the full end of snit!k edge having articulated thereto a tuck-tab and its sides having articulated thereto twodiagonally creased at least Y partial side-panels, said-discharge-opening having along its fourth side a tuck-slot, said tuck-slot being formed from an articulated extension panel of the container side-wall, said extension-panel having a longitudinal bisecting crease at least part way across thereof and substantially angular cuts from the terminals of said crease to the lateral edges of said extension-panel thus separating'said panel into two unequal parts, a lesser reversefold panel, and a greater tuck-bathe, said reverse-fold panel being adhered to the inside of said adjoined container wall, said tuck-baffle being reverse-folded and adhered on its extended portions also to the said container wall, portions of said tuck-baille thus containing said reverse-fold panel face to face, its adhesion free area forming said tuck-slot, said closure means in one position closing said discharge opening with said end-panel being positioned at right angles to the walls of said con- Y tainer, having said side-panels diagonally Afolded Athereunder, and said tuck-tab positioned in said tuck-slot, said side-panels being so dimensioned that their free edges contact said tuck-tab when said closure-means arein said closed position, and lie upon the edge of said tuck-baille,V

said closure-means in another positionto fully` open said discharge-opening of said container, with said tuck-tabV being withdrawn from said tuck-slot, said side-panels unfolded and said end-panel positioned outwardly from said container wall, vsaid container having cut-out lockY- notches on the opposing end edges of said tuck-tab, said locknotches engaging the edges of the reverse-foldpanel in said tuck-slot holding said tuck-tab therein when said closure-means are in a closed position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

